2014-15 Pac-12 Conference Preview: #5 UCLA Bruins

2013 Season Results: 28-9 overall, 12-6 conference record. Second place in the Pac-12, Pac-12 Tournament Champions, 68-79 Sweet Sixteen loss vs. Florida in NCAA Tournament

Key Losses: Jordan Adams (NBA Draft), Kyle Anderson (NBA Draft), Zach LaVine (NBA Draft), Travis Wear (Graduated), David Wear (Graduated)

Key Returns: Norman Powell, Bryce Alford, Tony Parker, Isaac Hamilton

2014 Recruiting Class (ESPN No. 10 in the nation): PF Kevin Looney (5-Star, ESPN 100 No. 12), C Thomas Welsh (4-Star, ESPN 100 No. 36), PF Jonah Bolden (4-Star, ESPN 100 No. 69), G.G. Goloman (3-star)

By all appearances, the UCLA Bruins should not be a factor in the Pac-12 conference during the 2014-15 season. After reaching the Sweet Sixteen after a surprise first round loss to Minnesota in the first round of the NCAA Tournament a year before, UCLA had a massive exodus of talent that should have left them potentially begging for wins like they were Oliver Twist. Scoring stud Jordan Adams eligibility ran out, Kyle Anderson and Zach LaVine decided to cash in their NBA Draft tickets early, and the big Wear brothers graduated.

With all those key losses suffered, the Bruins are only returning 33.7% of their scoring and 34.9% of their total rebounding. Anderson’s late shot clock heroics are also no longer available as UCLA finds itself without a proven playmaker that can also create his own shot.

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And if that isn’t enough to frustrate Bruin fans, 2014 ESPN 100 recruit Jonah Bolden was been ruled ineligible to play this season and graduate transfer Jon Octeus was denied admission damaging UCLA’s depth at both the guard and forward positions. Then why are they still projected to finish in the top half of the Pac-12?

After being a total negative Ned, I can say with confidence that Bruins fans are still going to be happy with this team. Though the loss of Bolden hurts the incoming freshman class, UCLA still has two top 40 recruits that will make an immediate impact.

Former McDonald’s All-American Kevon Looney is freshman forward to get excited about. There’s nothing that Looney can’t on the basketball court and should fill the Kyle Anderson vacuum valiantly. He is long and athletic and will cause problems defensively for opposing teams with his oft praised motor that never quits. On offense, he can be used as a point forward showcasing impressive vision and ball handling for a player his size. Looney has a habit of finishing strong at the basket and has been known to spot up from the 3-point line with great success.

Along with Looney, fellow former McDonald’s All-American freshman center Thomas Welsh is also talented enough to get immediate minutes and provide another big body for consistent rebounding. He’s not the most athletic recruit, but he uses his size well for positioning, can finish through contact, and step out to hit 13-15 foot jump shots. Both he and Looney will complement each other well in the frontcourt though Welsh will probably come off the bench with big man Tony Parker still on campus.

Also joining the Bruins for his first in-game action is Isaac Hamilton who was forced to burn a year of his eligibility last year when he pulled his commitment to UTEP late to commit to UCLA. Ranked No. 14 in 2013 per Rivals, Hamilton is a combo guard blessed with a quick step and dangerous jumper. He has also shown he is a willing passer and can penetrate the defense enough to set up others. With Jon Octeus not joining the Bruins, Hamilton’s scoring and passing skills will be a key for the team.

The Bruins also see the return of senior guard Norman Powell, who looks ready to breakout after playing behind Jordan Adams since he came to campus. Since he started at UCLA in 2011, Powell has improved in every category annually, including his scoring which went from 4.6 points per game in 2011-12 to 11.4 points in 2013-14. Look for skyward to see Powell use that impressive athleticism in transition and finish strong on the inside in half-court sets.

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Success will not happen without adjustments however. Last season UCLA made a living on the outside with six players making 35% or over on their 3-point shots. Five of those players are no longer on the Bruins’ roster with only Bryce Alford returning with his 38.5% 3-point field goal percentage.

The winning formula for this year will not be jacking bombs from the outside. The winning formula is in the gigantic hands of the Bruin frontcourt and their ability to rebound. The Bruins ranked 7^th in the Pac-12 last season gathering 50.9% of their rebounds. They will need to improve that this season to have a chance to win.

Head coach Steve Alford’s system results in a lot of shots from the outside, but fortunately for him, he has Parker, Looney, and Welsh to fight for offensive boards to get extra possessions and put backs down low. In the half-court, UCLA will be dependent on their big men for those rebounds to generate a lot of offense if their perimeter shooting is struggling.

The great thing about having big bodies on defense is that it erases a lot of defensive mistakes made from the perimeter. Powell is a bulldog, but Alford and Hamilton aren’t exactly Tony Allen out there, so the frontcourt will be asked to complete a lot of UCLA’s defensive possessions. Once the frontcourt gathers the rebound they can get the ball out quickly and get easy baskets in transition making up for their lack of consistent shooting.

There really isn’t anything to worry about Bruin fans. Sure, the team won’t have the success of last year, but that’s mostly because you don’t have five players that made it to NBA rosters on your team anymore. Any time there is a talent loss that great and lack of depth there will be some drop off.

However, with a great recruiting class and some key returns, the team has an outside shot at making the NCAA tournament for the 3^rd straight year, but don’t expect them to really challenge for the conference crown. A lot will depend on the UCLA Bruins frontcourt, but the Bruins should win enough games to be relevant and most importantly, better than USC.

Projected Finish: 5^th Place

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